Positive about Dev playing Byomkesh: Anirban Bhattacharya

A thinking man’s actor, Anirban Bhattacharya has tried to do something different and yet in line with mainstream cinema in his latest release ‘Mitthye Premer Gaan’. A Bengali musical love story, the film sees him as a musician-songwriter with a rockstar vibe. Though he feels the pressure after his big screen debut directorial venture ‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’ struck gold at the box office, Anirban now wants to concentrate on acting. With ‘Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway’ up for release alongside Rani Mukerji and Byomkesh’s Season 8 on Hoichoi, Anirban is one of the most sought-after actors in Tollywood. From Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback in ‘Pathaan’ to Dev playing Byomkesh, Anirban chatted with Millennium Post. Excerpts:

You have mentioned in several interviews that you are not comfortable with stardom. But your fan following is crazy.

I am still uncomfortable with stardom. However, I have reached a point in my career where what I think or how I perceive the world is not so important. Rather, I have bigger responsibilities towards my industry and the fraternity I belong to. So, if I have to handle stardom or fandom, I need to handle that.

You always wanted to lead a minimalistic lifestyle. Is that possible when you become the ‘much sought-after actor’ in the Bengali film industry?

No one can snatch away the minimalistic lifestyle from me. This is entirely my choice.

You won’t buy a Mercedes or a BMW ever?

I don’t have a fascination to ride a BMW. I might ride a bigger car than I have at present. I might keep changing cars too but I don’t need a BMW.

So, you don’t think you are a star?

No. Before I become a star, my films need to do business at the box office.

‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’ did phenomenally well at the box office.

I directed that film. But as an actor, my films should churn money and then only I can be bracketed.

This is for the first time you play a rockstar in ‘Mithhye Premer Gaan’.

I have associated myself with a popular form of cinema through ‘Mitthye Premer Gaan’. Also, I want to increase my audience base with films like these. No one likes to remain in a static position forever. I also needed some growth and changes as an actor. So, I felt this is the film that will connect me to a larger audience. When I read the script, I understood the character differently. When I sat with my director (Paroma Neotia), I understood other aspects of the character. Later, when I saw the film, I thought it can reach out to a broader audience.

Paroma was a first-time director and you were cast in a role we have never seen you before.

Initially, I was a bit hesitant. Will I be able to pull off the character? Will I look believable and relatable in the part? Before every film, I fear if I can really do justice to a character. But Paroma strictly told me that she would only do the film if I play Avik, an independent musician who is lonely at heart. She had me in mind for the film two years before we met. She convinced me to play Avik.

Is ‘Mitthye Premer Gaan’ a realistic film?

I played Bullet Singh in ‘Bibaho Obhijaan’ (2019), a comedy film. The character had no similarities with me. But I knew that if I could make the character believable, the audience will like it and I would enter a new zone. Since we could convince the audience, we successfully shot ‘Bibaho Obhijaan 2’. So, Bullet Singh gave me a lot of courage that yes, I can explore cinema outside my comfort zone. This is a realistic film but to play a character like Avik, you need a special kind of aura. I don’t know if that aura is real, hyper-real, or surreal, but you need that extra something to pull off the character.

This is a musical love story. How would you define love?

Love is one of the oldest emotions. The practice of love might have undergone a metamorphosis in the digital age but the feelings remain the same.

You loved Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Pathaan’.

Yes, I did. To me, the over-the-top (OTT) action and groundbreaking box office numbers don’t matter. What matters the most was a 57-year-old actor, who had tremendous faith in the people of the country. Those people, who love him dearly, didn’t disappoint him.

But do you agree that all commercially successful films are good films?

(Cuts in) Not at all. There are tons of examples of hugely successful films, which are extremely bad. However, for the Bengali industry, all films should work at the box office because the financial health of Tollywood is not that great.

Do you believe that the Bengali cinema industry needs more masala films?

I don’t know which genre of film is required. All I know Bengali films should make money. This is the only requirement.

After ‘Mandaar’ and ‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’, is ‘director’ Anirban Bhattacharya under pressure?

Yes, I can feel the pressure. I know when the third film releases people will say ‘this isn’t like Ballabhpurer Roopkatha’. However, we didn’t expect the kind of commercial success that ‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’ has got us.

Given you have turned a director and have two back-to-back hits, should the other directors in Tollywood feel threatened?

Never. Just because two of my projects have worked doesn’t make me successful. The senior Bengali directors have been delivering quality cinema year after year. I cannot be compared with them.

Do you return to your films?

Oh! I can’t watch my films. I find so many flaws that I feel ashamed that the product is out in the market. I scolded my assistants after ‘Mandaar’. I made my assistants watch ‘Mandaar’ and we pointed out the flaws before we went on floors with ‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’.

Is your next script ready?

I didn’t come to the industry to become a director. I want to hone my acting skills. I cannot make a film each year because both ‘Ballabhpurer Roopkotha’ and ‘Mandaar’ took one year to be made. So, if I start making films every year when will I act? That’s the area I want to focus on now. Maybe, I will make films every 2-3 years.

Projects in the pipeline

You play Rani Mukerji’s husband in ‘Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway’, a film based on a real story.

It was a fantastic experience to work with her. We had a long outdoor schedule and she was the only person with whom I used to speak in Bengali.

‘Byomkesh Season 8’ will soon start streaming. Now, Dev is also playing Byomkesh?

I am positive about Dev playing Byomkesh. Till now, actors who have essayed the character of Byomkesh Bakshi like Abir Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta, Parambrata Chatterjee, and I had a similar template. We had similar facial structures and lean figures. In this case, Dev’s Byomkesh will be different and he will present a different template to the audience.